Calm During the Storm
by Penstorm
Summary: "Though she'd made love with Castle countless times in the past, this particular instance felt so familiar to Kate, giving her an eerie but pleasant sense of déjà vu." After getting caught in the rain on their way home, Rick and Kate become passionately intimate, and the police detective reminisces of that fateful night she showed up at her author's door, just as soaking wet.


_Consider this a Valentine's special of sorts...? Rated M for obvious reasons._

* * *

**Calm During the Storm**

Castle rummaged his keys out of his pocket, finally selecting the one that allowed access to the loft and jamming it into the lock. He gave it a twist while giving the door a shove, and it swung open with ease, to Kate's immense relief. She was soaked to the skin, as was her fiancé, and all she desired now was to change out of her drenched clothing and ring out her dripping hair with a soft, fluffy towel.

After hurriedly ushering Kate into the loft, Castle wasted no time in stepping inside right after her and clicking the door shut behind them. He lovingly draped his hands over her shoulders as she began to squirm with her discomfort, helping her out of her coat before shrugging out of his own.

"It's really coming down out there." he observed, listening as the low sound of thunder rumbled throughout the loft, ever so slightly causing the walls surrounding them to tremble and rattle.

"No kidding." Kate replied under her breath, rubbing her hands up and down her arms in an effort to warm herself.

It had certainly been a brisk, New York day, overcast and gray, growing even gloomier as the evening hours approached. The skies had quickly darkened with intimidating thunderheads, evidently signaling that a storm was swiftly on its way. By the time she and Castle had clocked out and set foot outside of the precinct, the rain was pouring down with absolutely no inhibition, and the both of them were soon thoroughly chilled to the bone, saturated from the cold rain.

Castle hung up both of their coats beside the door, approaching his partner from behind and pleasantly taking her by surprise as he embraced her in his arms, snaking his arms slowly around her waist.

"Cold?" he inquired, pressing his lips to her cheek.

Kate shivered against him, and Castle smiled, even as he kissed her. He couldn't be entirely sure if her body's reaction was a result of his tender affection or if she were in desperate need to partake his warmth. Either way, his heart fluttered with passion, adoration for this woman radiating from every fiber of his being.

"Just a bit." Kate managed softly, donning an amorous smile.

She knew exactly where their actions would soon lead, what her love was so wistfully longing for. He brushed his lips gently against her neck, curiously sliding his hands down her curves and firmly placing them on the swell of her hips. Kate turned to face him, intently studying his countenance with her perceptive eyes. His own were sporting a fierce yearning, a passionate desire aflame in the sea of blue.

Castle darted his eyes downward, immediately noticing that front of her blouse was utterly diaphanous, leaving nothing to the imagination; she evidently hadn't taken the time to button the peacoat she had worn that day in the midst of their haste in scampering to the car and cranking up the heat.

Her voice morphed into a low murmur. "Castle, I think we should maybe get dried off first." she hinted softly, leaning in, always finding a way to be closer to him.

Their noses were barely touching at this tender moment, and Castle closed the distance between their lips, cupping her cheeks in his hands with a soft, loving caress, melting her to nothing in an instant. He broke the kiss somewhat prematurely, leaving Kate shuddering, albeit slightly, in her stance.

"And maybe get out of our wet clothes?" he suggested with a smirk, smugly taking note of his fiancée's face, which flushed scarlet at his straightforwardness.

Kate nodded, slowly and compliantly, for she was far too distracted by the gruff yet enamored tone of his voice to illicit a vocal response. He was rugged in manner, overcome with his growing anticipation.

Her partner gently but impatiently began nudging her in the direction of the bedroom, eager to finally share some intimate privacy with her after a long day's work. He repeatedly pressed his lips to hers on the way to their bed, riling her up more and more by the second, which he surmised by the soft moans of approval escaping from her lips between each of their kisses.

Castle shuffled backwards across the floor as Kate took control, leading him on a path to the welcoming blankets. As they reached the bed, the detective hastily unbuttoned the man's shirt, seizing him gently by the collar before sliding the garment off his shoulders. It slipped to the floor with ease, and Castle pinned her lithe body tightly against him, his solid pectorals glistening with lingering drops of moisture from their encounter with the evening storm.

The man landed back on the mattress with a slight bounce, his partner in his arms. Kate instantly turned her full attention to his lower half, loosening his belt with a swift and graceful motion. The placement of her delicate hands instilled him with such a fiery desire for her, it practically sent him spiraling over the edge, his excitement quickly getting the best of him.

After the tedious removal of his pants, Castle sprawled fully on his back, clad in just his boxers, digging his mouth and tongue deeper, more ravenously, into Kate's inviting lips. His intense arousal was beginning to grow bothersome.

"Oh, God," Kate moaned against his lips, her hand moving from where it caressed his firm jaw, further and further down, momentarily stalling as she wandered over his abs. "Castle." she whispered urgently, dipping her fingertips beneath the waistband of his underwear.

"Hold on, hold on," Castle chuckled, pulling his mouth away from hers. He gazed deeply into her eyes, both brown orbs glinting with a fervent, dark desire. "Let's get you out of _your _clothes first." he purred saucily, providing her with a final kiss to the lips before plucking the top button of her blouse, using a gentle hand to slide it off her shoulder. "You know I'd hate for you to catch a cold." He twitched his eyebrows charmingly, all in that trademark way of his that he knew Kate loved.

The woman settled on top of him smiled, though she was sure it was utterly giddy and stupid. She was always on his mind, wasn't she?

Castle, meanwhile, was hardly subtle in ogling her; she _was _quite a sight. The fabric of her top clung tightly to her skin, her bra plain to see and greatly satisfying to his hungry eyes.

Another part of his body, however, was nowhere near sated.

As he peeled off her blouse, he leaned in, planting a trail of kisses from her collarbone down to her left breast, the cup of the garment concealing her chest proving to be an obstacle for his pursed lips.

Castle's hands found their way to the small of her back, his fingers lightly tracing down the length of her spine. They trailed back upward after a moment, fumbling briefly before unhooking her bra. As soon as it was shed, she leaned in to him at once. Kate emitted a moan, sweet and low, as her bare breasts came in contact with his equally bare chest.

Cerulean blue combined with rich hazel as their gazes met, and Castle raised his brows, offering a slight but incredibly sexy smirk.

She _was _cold.

Kate's slacks soon ended up being dropped carelessly over the side of the bed, and Castle slid his fingers beneath the line of her panties, his thumbs erotically massaging the insides of her thighs. As he fondled his way down the accentuated bones of her pelvis, Kate arched her back, thrusting forward into his touch. She dipped her head down, settling her lips over his neck, kissing away the raindrops that still lingered there, flicking her tongue ever so gently against his skin. Her fingers, meanwhile, busied themselves in his damp hair, scraping gently across his scalp.

Their entire bodies, overcome with fierce arousal, soon ended up entirely bare before the insatiable eyes of one another. Castle held Kate gingerly and incredibly close to him for a moment before rolling her on to her back, firmly planting both of his hands on either side of her.

Kate's chest rose and fell with her erratic gasps, her sweet breaths fanning him as he hovered over her. He outreached a hand to tuck a tendril of her hair behind her ear, leaning in to gently graze his teeth over her lobe, all at once giving her a playful nip. She instantly squeaked with a sharp gasp, a chill rushing through every inch of her as a volt of electricity pulsed through her body, all the way to her toes.

Castle mumbled something distractedly, his voice muffled by her hair.

"Hmm? Y-yeah?" his partner stuttered, deep, adoring eyes locking with his. She was distant, entirely immersed in the sensation of his deft mouth working away at her.

Her partner reluctantly lifted his face from the task at hand. "Mind if I...warm you up?" he ventured, raising a brow sexily.

Kate's lips tugged with a smile as he tucked a dripping tendril of her hair behind her ear. She gave a soft, breathy laugh before giving her wholehearted consent.

"I'd _love_ that, Castle." she professed, audible at only a level her partner could hear, her ecstatic smile instantly jerking wider.

With no hesitation, Castle tilted his head and leaned in, gently tugging her bottom lip with his teeth. She moaned his name amorously, pleading for him to provide her with more of the pleasure he so expertly dished out, the tingling sensation of his loving bite sending a chill down her spine. The heat of his body fully washed over her, passion and adoration suffusing from his veins, every inch of his stature flooded with an ardent sense of desire and fervor.

Though she'd made love with Castle countless times in the past, this particular instance felt so familiar to Kate, giving her an eerie but pleasant sense of déjà vu.

* * *

_Kate stood in front of the door of Castle's loft, dripping from head to toe from the storm she had just braved. She raised a hand, rapping on the door with her knuckles. _

Please_ let him open the door. She had to talk to him; this could be her only chance before she lost contact with him forever._

_Not a second later, the door swung open, revealing her partner—or, _ex-_partner—standing before her, his countenance stern and disapproving._

"_Beckett, what do you want?" Castle snapped dryly, his expression remaining indifferent.  
_

_The cold, trite tone of his unforgiving voice stung at her, as no other words had before. She really had hurt him. How could she have been so heartless toward him? He was right—four years, he'd been right there. How could she have been so naïve as to not have recognized this as undeniable fact?_

_Although, Kate's heart lifted slightly; at least he was even on speaking terms with her, repressing the urge to slam the door right in her face the moment he saw her—not that she would have blamed him if he had._

_She then spoke with absolutely no forethought whatsoever. A single word in reply tumbled instantly off her tongue._

"_You." she breathed, taking a few quick steps forward and bringing her hands to his face, locking lips with him in a passionate kiss._

_Never before had anything felt so right, so natural._

_She brought her hands to his shoulders and leaned her forehead against his nose, tears threatening to stream freely down her face. _

"_I'm so sorry, Castle. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." she repeated, over and over. One apology simply wouldn't suffice._

_Kate kissed him again, but he pushed her away, ripping their lips apart. Castle paused, as if gathering his words._

"_What happened?" he queried, not tearing his eyes from hers.  
_

_He expected that something had brought this on—something colossal. _

_Kate wasn't hesitant to respond. "He got away, and I didn't care." she confessed in a whisper. "I almost died, and all I could think about was you. I just want you."  
_

_She brought a hand to his face, lightly stroking above his lip with her fingertips. A crack of thunder and a brief flash of lightning sliced through the silence, and Castle's dark, blue eyes remained glued to her face, studying every inch of her features._

_Abruptly, Castle lunged forward, pressing her back against the door as he forced a feverish kiss to her mouth. They insatiably embraced one another, giving into urges and desires four years in the making, all that time repressing the temptation that burned within their hearts._

_Their foreplay steadily grew more and more ravenous, and Kate glanced down as Castle unbuttoned her blouse, revealing her bullet scar to his eyes for the very first time. She gently allowed him contact, placing his hands between her breasts as she once more melted their lips together._

_As they split apart, their faces simultaneously etched with euphoric smiles, both of them reveling in the tingling of the ardor lingering in their mouths. Their eyes never pulled away from their enamored gazes directed toward one another, and as their hands clasped together, Kate instantly began to lead her partner to his bedroom, her stomach fluttering with fierce anticipation._

_Kate soon found herself sprawled out across the mattress, a silence befalling her as Castle initiated the process of plucking the clothes from her body. Well, she wasn't completely silent; her heavy, erratic breathing attested to her excitement and blatant approval for the activities that were in store for them, right in their immediate future._

_Castle was soon shirtless and hovering over her, pecking her lips repetitively, though she never tired of it. She lifted her hands and brought them to his solid biceps, skittering her fingers gently across his skin, deepening their kiss as his lips landed on hers. _

"_Do you...do you really want this, Beckett?" Castle ventured softly, uncertainty in his voice as his shoulders heaved._

_Kate hesitated for a moment. Going through with this would result in one of two scenarios: their partnership would completely dissolve, or they would become stronger than ever. But, this was a risk she was willing to take. If it meant sharing this with him, it would all be worth it in the end._

_And so, she smiled, nodding resolutely as she once again mashed her lips to his._

* * *

The rising sun peeked through the curtains, causing Kate to stir with a muffled moan into her pillow, silently cursing the blinding light forcing itself into the bedroom. She reached a hand out to yank the covers over her bare shoulder, immediately feeling the lasting effect of her actions last night, love bites peppering her flesh in various places. The coolness of the linens covering her naked body soothed the bruises minimally, but she didn't pay any mind to the aching that they caused her. She didn't mind them, simply because Castle had been responsible for them—and _how. _

Kate forced her eyes open, blinking as her love came into view, right in her direct line of sight. He was fast asleep and sprawled out flat on his stomach, snuggled up beside her with one of his arms draped over her form. His hair stuck up in numerous places, a cowlick here and there. All was quiet in their bedroom, with the exception being Castle's soft snoring.

Kate dipped her head, sporting an adoring smile as she leaned in to kiss her fiancé upon the lips, gently coaxing him out of his slumber. Castle slowly began to return her affection, without even going to the effort to open his eyes, instantly delighting Kate with his enthusiasm so early in the morning. He lifted a hand to her face, lightly caressing her cheek and groaning deeply into their passion. Castle's lips broke into a smile the second they parted from Kate's.

"Good morning to you, too." he murmured cordially. His eyes glimmered with an unconditional love for the woman in bed with him, wrapping her up in his arms as she shimmied all the more close to him, tucking her head under his chin.

"Mmm, morning." Kate hummed absently, completely content with falling back asleep in Castle's arms.

They had nowhere to be on such a wonderful Saturday morning, and to her, as she basked in the warmth and security of her love's embrace, this seemed like the perfect way to spend their time.

"Cuddly, aren't we?" Castle mused with a chuckle, though he wasn't complaining—not at all.

"What, you don't like it?" she challenged, glancing up at him beneath her lashes and grinning triumphantly as Castle tightened his hold of her.

"Yes." he replied hastily, widening his eyes to affirm this.

"'Yes', you don't like it?" Kate teased, distancing herself from him.

She lived for the time she spent driving Castle up a wall.

"N-no, I...you...what I meant was—" Castle stammered, perturbed in this position in which he was put directly on the spot.

His partner donned a complacent smirk. She adored flustered Castle just as much as he adored cuddly Kate, and he was completely aware of this.

Castle rolled his eyes, frustrated at how easy she could take the words straight from his mouth. Being an author was his profession, yet this woman, and this woman alone, could single-handedly render him an incoherent, stuttering his slight embarrassment, he recovered quickly, firmly latching on to his soon-to-be wife, the future and final Mrs. Castle.

Kate had no mind to resist his tender affections. This was all she desired now, just to be held. She sighed with pure delight, slipping her arms beneath his and bringing her hands up to his shoulder blades. He lovingly traced patterns around the kiss marks he had left on her sensitive skin with his expert fingers—down her neck, along her collarbone, on both of her breasts. Castle eventually echoed her contented sigh, nudging his forehead against hers. Their eyes remained locked in place for some time, both enamored gazes soft and unfaltering.

Castle hummed with a quiet laugh, puckering his lips to kiss her nose. "What is it?"

"What is what?" Kate queried softly, studying his facial features extensively.

"Nothing, just...you're a little distant all of a sudden." he observed with a slight shrug.

Kate snaked her arms further around his shoulders to prevent any possibility of him wandering from their nest. She gazed at him lovingly, regarding him with sheer adoration and beaming all the while.

"I just love you, Castle." she offered, her smile growing.

It seemed almost unimaginable to her that some years before, she never could have begun to fathom that they would end up engaged, let alone share something so intimate and genuine. Now, she could readily and freely profess her intense feelings for him whenever the mood struck her.

Castle grinned, pecking her on the lips. "And I love _you."_ He swept a hand over her shoulder with a swooping motion, sliding the covers that concealed her slowly down the length of her body, revealing her chest to his eyes. "Now that we're both awake, Kate...what do you suppose we should do today?"

Kate, though she wasn't unfamiliar with Castle's blatant..._admiration..._of her, sensed her cheeks grow warm with a blush. She lowered her head and flashed a smile, allowing her tongue to peek out slightly through her teeth.

"I thought maybe we could just stay in today." she murmured seductively, quirking a brow in her alluring, trademark manner.

"In...bed?" Castle suggested in a low purr, mimicking her come-hither expression.

Needless to say, his offer was wholeheartedly accepted.


End file.
